Lean on Me
by x Poor Thing
Summary: A new girl at Degrassi High. Her name: Melissa (Missa) Rae Daniels. She becomes acquainted with Craig Manning, and soon he finds out the reason why Missa moved to Degrassi. A reason that triggers his past; and now, they both have a shoulder to lean on.


First Degrassi fic (well actually, first fic, period - in a longg time) Please read and review, & tell me to continue if you like it ;-]

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**Lean On Me**

_A Degrassi Fic;_ A new girl at Degrassi High. Her name: Melissa (Missa) Rae Daniels. She becomes acquainted with Craig Manning, and soon he finds out the reason why Missa moved to Degrassi. A reason that triggers his past; and now, they both have a shoulder to lean on.

**Prologue : Memories of the Past**

Melissa Rae Daniels slept restlessly in her bed. Turning over every few seconds trying to find comfort. No matter how hard she tried, memories flooded through her mind as though they were dreams, uncomfortable dreams that made her cry out silently at every memory. Horrible memories of her father, the one who was always there for her as a child but when he began to drink heavily, everything faded in his life. He'd turn on his own children and wife of fifteen years, abusing them physically and emotionally.

Her father's face flashed before her, and let out another helpless scream.

_Flashback_

Melissa sat on the couch, her left leg curled up under her right; her binder in her lap as she studied for her history exam the next day. "Finally some peace and quiet..." she sighed, looking over at her five-year-old sister Kaye who was finally fast asleep. Missa looked down at her wrist watch and eyed the time. 9:06PM. "Just about twenty minutes until mother returns from work." Missa thought to herself.

Just as she thought that, she heard the door click open. Her arm with her watch flung to her side as she closed the binder that lay on her lap. "She's early." Melissa whispered, for only herself to hear.

Then she heard heavy footsteps and the door slam, and that made her realize that it wasn't her mother; but her father. She hadn't seen him in a week or so, not like she's been keeping track. She could care less where her father's been, but then it hit her. He's back. She sat on the couch, pretending to not here him come in, her legs now crossed in front of her. She could here him, making as much noise as he possibly could, swaying from side to side in the hallway as his drunken body tried making it to the living room.

The footsteps came closer, Melissa could easily tell. She looked over at her sister, whose eyes were slightly opening from all the noise. Melissa patted the seat next to her so Kaye climbed onto the couch next to her. Missa put her arm around Kaye as they saw a face appear in the doorway.

"Hey girls." Their father said, drunk, with a liquor bottle in his hand.

Neither knew what to say, or do. So they both grinned slightly. "I need some money, where did your mother hide it this time?" He asked.

"No, Dad." Melissa said nervously.

"I SAID, WHERE DID SHE HIDE THE FREAKIN' MONEY?" He screamed, as he through the beer bottle against the wall - - right above both girls. Kaye screamed as Melissa covered her sister's ears.

"DAD, GET THE HELL AWAY..." Melissa yelled back at her father, not even realizing her sudden outburst. She saw him nearing closer now. "Dad, Dad.. no." Melissa whined.

_End of Flashback_

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"No Dad.. Dad, no. No." Melissa repeated over and over silently as she tossed in her bed.

The flashback continued in her dreams - - The memory she'd like to forget.

_Flashback_

Missa didn't know what to do. She looked from left to right as her father came closer. Then she got up from the couch, her sister still sitting there - now crying from everything going on around her. She charged at her father, and pushed him; he fell back and hit his head on the wall. Missa knew she would have never been able to do that, but since he was drunk - he was weak and could barely hold himself up. Melissa motioned her hand for her sister to follow her, as both sisters ran out the door.

They ran over to the corner supermarket where their mother was working overtime. And barged through the automatic sliding doors. Their mother noticed her daughters right away as she was checking a customer out. She noticed the expression on both their faces, fear, the look that their father was back. Her mother shook her head in denial, as Melissa and Kaye both walked towards her.

They spent the night in the police station. And the next day, Mr. Daniels was finally arrested.

_End of Flashback_

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Melissa opened her eyes, awake after a restless night. She got up and opened the blinds, the sun now shining through the glass. Today was her first day of Degrassi High. After her father was arrested, and her mother divorced him, Mrs. Daniels and Melissa and Kaye moved to Degrassi in Toronto, Canada. Anywhere to get away from the past back in Seattle, Washington. It was new to them, but it was a start.

Melissa opened her closet, barely any clothes hanging there because of the move, but picked out a pair of jeans and a light pink tank. Seattle, Washington was where her whole life was, and although there were many horrible memories, some of them meant a lot. Melissa sighed, not knowing how today would turn out. Schools already started for a month already and she didn't know how she'd fit in.

The alarm clock caught Missa's eye. 7:55AM. "Oh damn, I'm late." She rushed downstairs, no time for breakfast.

_Flashback_

"Bye Daddy." Mr. Daniels kissed six-year-old Missa's forehead.

"Bye Mommy." and Mrs. Daniels did the same.

Melissa walked out the door, for her first day of kindergarten as she waved goodbye to both her parents.

_End of Flashback_

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Her mother was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper - - and a cup of coffee in hand. "Ready?" She asked when she noticed Melissa coming down the stairs.

"Yep." Missa answered looking down at her feet. "Bye Mom." She said, this time, looking up.

"Bye Sweetie, have a good day." Melissa started toward the door but then walked over to her mother and gave her a quick hug.

As Missa walked out the door, she looked back to see her mother at the kitched table, and her father nowhere to be seen. And for once in the past few year, Melissa was happy about it.

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Didja like??? Please review!

x Poor Thing


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